Browsing by Author "Nogueira, Joana Garrido"
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- Alarming decline of freshwater trigger species in western Mediterranean key biodiversity areasPublication . Nogueira, Joana Garrido; Sousa, Ronaldo; Benaissa, Hassan; De Knijf, Geert; Ferreira, Sónia; Ghamizi, Mohamed; Gonçalves, Duarte V.; Lansdown, Richard; Numa, Catherine; Prié, Vincent; Riccardi, Nicoletta; Seddon, Mary; UrbaÅ„ska, Maria; Valentini, Alice; Vikhrev, Ilya; Varandas, Simone; Teixeira, Amílcar; Lopes-Lima, Manuel; Nogueira J.G.Theidentification of key biodiversity areas (KBA) was initiated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2004 to overcome taxonomic biases in the selection of important areas for conservation, including freshwater ecosystems. Since then, several KBAs have been identified mainly based on the presence of trigger species (i.e., species that trigger either the vulnerability and or the irreplaceability criterion and thus identify a site as a KBA). However, to our knowledge, many of these KBAs have not been validated. Therefore, classical surveys of the taxa used to identify freshwater KBAs (fishes, molluscs, odonates, and aquatic plants) were conducted in Douro (Iberian Peninsula) and Sebou (Morocco) River basins in the Mediterranean Biodiversity Hotspot. Environmental DNA analyses were undertaken in the Moroccan KBAs. There was a mismatch between the supposed and actual presence of trigger species. None of the trigger species were found in 43% and 50% of all KBAs surveyed in the Douro and Sebou basins, respectively. Shortcomings of freshwater KBA identification relate to flawed or lack of distribution data for trigger species. This situation results from a misleading initial identification of KBAs based on poor (or even inaccurate) ecological information or due to increased human disturbance between initial KBA identification and the present. To improve identification of future freshwater KBAs, we suggest selecting trigger species with a more conservative approach; use of local expert knowledge and digital data (to assess habitat quality, species distribution, and potential threats); consideration of the subcatchment when delineating KBAs boundaries; thoughtful consideration of terrestrial special areas for conservation limits; and periodic field validation.
- Alarming decline of freshwater trigger species in western Mediterranean key biodiversity areasPublication . Nogueira, Joana Garrido; Sousa, Ronaldo; Benaissa, Hassan; De Knijf, Geert; Ferreira, Sónia; Ghamizi, Mohamed; Gonçalves, Duarte V.; Lansdown, Richard; Numa, Catherine; Prié, Vincent; Riccardi, Nicoletta; Seddon, Mary; Urbańska, Maria; Valentini, Alice; Vikhrev, Ilya; Varandas, Simone; Teixeira, Amílcar; Lopes‐Lima, ManuelThe identification of key biodiversity areas (KBA) was initiated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2004 to overcome taxonomic biases in the selection of important areas for conservation, including freshwater ecosystems. Since then, several KBAs have been identified mainly based on the presence of trigger species (i.e., species that trigger either the vulnerability and or the irreplaceability criterion and thus identify a site as a KBA). However, to our knowledge, many of these KBAs have not been validated. Therefore, classical surveys of the taxa used to identify freshwater KBAs (fishes, molluscs, odonates, and aquatic plants) were conducted in Douro (Iberian Peninsula) and Sebou (Morocco) River basins in the Mediterranean Biodiversity Hotspot. Environmental DNA analyses were undertaken in the Moroccan KBAs. There was a mismatch between the supposed and actual presence of trigger species. None of the trigger species were found in 43% and 50% of all KBAs surveyed in the Douro and Sebou basins, respectively. Shortcomings of freshwater KBA identification relate to flawed or lack of distribution data for trigger species. This situation results from a misleading initial identification of KBAs based on poor (or even inaccurate) ecological information or due to increased human disturbance between initial KBA identification and the present. To improve identification of future freshwater KBAs, we suggest selecting trigger species with a more conservative approach; use of local expert knowledge and digital data (to assess habitat quality, species distribution, and potential threats); consideration of the subcatchment when delineating KBAs boundaries; thoughtful consideration of terrestrial special areas for conservation limits; and periodic field validation.
- Assessment of a terrestrial protected area for the conservation of freshwater biodiversityPublication . Nogueira, Joana Garrido; Teixeira, Amílcar; Varandas, Simone; Lopes-Lima, Manuel; Sousa, RonaldoFreshwater ecosystems are essential to human well-being and most have high biodiversity. However, this biodiversity has been suffering severe declines owing to the expansion of human activities. Protected areas (PAs) are essential for biodiversity conservation and have proved to be successful in stopping species extirpation if managed properly. Unfortunately, they are usually focused on terrestrial biodiversity, leaving freshwater ecosystems aside. The main goal of this study was to determine the influence of a PA (Montesinho Natural Park (MNP), Portugal) on freshwater biodiversity. Aquatic macroinvertebrates and fishes were surveyed, and biodiversity (richness, abundance, Shannon-Wiener diversity, and Pielou's evenness) and water quality (IASPT) indices were calculated inside, at the periphery and outside the MNP. Results showed that the PA does not affect positively either water quality or the two faunal groups monitored. Macroinvertebrate communities were not influenced by the PA; however, the abundance of pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera was significantly higher and size was significantly lower inside the MNP. The richness and abundance of fish communities were significantly higher outside the MNP, except for trout Salmo trutta abundance which was higher inside the MNP. Given these results, the MNP does not guarantee the safeguard of overall aquatic biodiversity and habitats and we propose an extension of MNP to downstream areas in order to increase the number of species (mostly cyprinids) under legal protection. This work demonstrates that terrestrial PA planning and management should also consider aquatic biodiversity to achieve successful conservation.
- Effects of an extreme drought on the endangered pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera: a before/after assessmentPublication . Nogueira, Joana Garrido; Lopes-Lima, Manuel; Varandas, Simone; Teixeira, Amílcar; Sousa, RonaldoDroughts can change the distribution and alter the behaviour, phenology and physiology of many species, leading in extreme cases to high mortalities or even extirpation. In this study, a before/after comparison was performed in two Portuguese river basins (Rabac¸al and Tuela) to assess the possible effects of an extreme drought on the abundance and size structure of two pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera populations, a Critically Endangered species in Europe. The hydrological year of 2017 was extremely dry in Portugal and this situation was responsible for a major reduction of the river flow and rapid decrease in the water levels during summer. One year after the drought, a significant reduction in abundance was observed (i.e. 27.6% for the Rabac¸al and 38.7% for the Tuela basin populations). However, no differences were detected in the size structure of the two pearl mussel populations. Droughts are predicted to increase in number and intensity and it is crucial to monitor M. margaritifera populations, given the low resistance (and possibly low resilience) of this species to these extreme conditions. Management measures that could help the conservation of pearl mussels are discussed.
- Identifying freshwater priority areas for cross-taxa interactionsPublication . Nogueira, Joana Garrido; Lopes-Lima, Manuel; Beja, Pedro; Filipe, Ana Filipa; Froufe, Elsa; Gonçalves, Duarte V.; Silva, Janine P.; Sousa, Ronaldo; Teixeira, Amílcar; Varandas, Simone; Hermoso, VirgilioInformation about biotic interactions (e.g. competition, predation, parasitism, diseases, mutualism, allelopathy) is fundamental to better understand species distribution and abundance, ecosystem functioning, and ultimately guide conservation efforts. However, conservation planning often overlooks these important interactions. Here, we aim to demonstrate a new framework to include biotic interactions into Marxan. For that, we use freshwater mussels and fish interaction (as mussels rely on fishes to complete their life cycle) in the Douro River basin (Iberian Peninsula) as a case study. While doing that, we also test the importance of including biotic interactions into conservation planning exercises, by running spatial prioritisation analysis considering either: 1) only the target species (freshwater mussels); 2) freshwater mussels and their obligatory hosts (freshwater fishes); 3) freshwater mussels, fishes and their interactions.With this framework we found that biotic interactions tend to be under represented when the data on both freshwater mussels and fishes is not simultaneously included in the spatial prioritisation. Overall, the priority areas selected across all scenarios are mostly located in the western part of the Douro River basin, where most freshwater mussels and fishes still occur. Given the low overlap of priority areas identified here and the current Natura 2000 network, our approach may be useful for establishing (or enlarging) protected areas, especially in light of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. Also, this work may provide guidance for future habitat restoration and management of main threats to freshwater biodiversity.
- A roadmap for the conservation of freshwater mussels in EuropePublication . Sousa, Ronaldo; Zając, Tadeusz; Halabowski, Dariusz; Aksenova, Olga V.; Bespalaya, Yulia V.; Carvalho, Francisco; Castro, Paulo S.; Douda, Karel; Silva, Janine P.; Ferreira-Rodríguez, Noé; Geist, Juergen; Gumpinger, Clemens; Labecka, Anna M.; Lajtner, Jasna; Lewin, Iga; Lopes-Lima, Manuel; Meira, Alexandra; Nakamura, Keiko; Nogueira, Joana Garrido; Ondina, Paz; Ożgo, Małgorzata; Reis, Joaquim; Riccardi, Nicoletta; Shumka, Spase; Son, Mikhail O.; Teixeira, Amílcar; Thielen, Frankie; Urbańska, Maria; Varandas, Simone; Wengström, Niklas; Zajac, Katarzyna; Zieritz, Alexandra; Aldridge, David C.Europe has a long history of human pressure on freshwater ecosystems. As pressure continues to grow and new threats emerge, there is an urgent need for conservation of freshwater biodiversity and its ecosystem services. However, whilst some taxonomic groups, mainly vertebrates, have received a disproportionate amount of attention and funds, other groups remain largely off the public and scientific radar. Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionida) are an alarming example of this conservation bias and here we point out six conceptual areas that need immediate and long-term attention: knowledge, threats, socioeconomics, conservation, governance and education. The proposed roadmap aims to advance research, policy and education by identifying the most pressing priorities for the short- and long-term conservation of freshwater mussels across Europe.
- The role of anthropogenic habitats in freshwater mussel conservationPublication . Sousa, Ronaldo; Halabowski, Dariusz; Labecka, Anna M.; Douda, Karel; Aksenova, Olga V.; Bespalaya, Yulia V.; Bolotov, Ivan N.; Geist, Juergen; Jones, Hugh A.; Konopleva, Ekaterina; Klunzinger, Michael W.; Lasso, Carlos A.; Lewin, Iga; Liu, Xiongjun; Lopes-Lima, Manuel; Mageroy, Jon; Mlambo, Musa; Nakamura, Keiko; Nakano, Mitsunori; Österling, Martin E.; Pfeiffer, John; Prié, Vincent; Paschoal, Lucas R.P.; Riccardi, Nicoletta; Santos, Rogério; Shumka, Spase; Smith, Allan K.; Son, Mikhail O.; Teixeira, Amílcar; Thielen, Frankie; Torres, Santiago; Varandas, Simone; Vikhrev, Ilya V.; Wu, Xiaoping; Zieritz, Alexandra; Nogueira, Joana GarridoAnthropogenic freshwater habitats may provide undervalued prospects for long-term conservation as part of species conservation planning. This fundamental, but overlooked, issue requires attention considering the pace that humans have been altering natural freshwater ecosystems and the accelerated levels of biodiversity decline in recent decades. We compiled 709 records of freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionida) inhabiting a broad variety of anthropogenic habitat types (from small ponds to large reservoirs and canals) and reviewed their importance as refuges for this faunal group. Most records came from Europe and North America, with a clear dominance of canals and reservoirs. The dataset covered 228 species, including 34 threatened species on the IUCN Red List. We discuss the conservation importance and provide guidance on how these anthropogenic habitats could be managed to provide optimal conservation value to freshwater mussels. This review also shows that some of these habitats may function as ecological traps owing to conflicting management practices or because they act as a sink for some populations. Therefore, anthropogenic habitats should not be seen as a panacea to resolve conservation problems. More information is necessary to better understand the trade-offs between human use and the conservation of freshwater mussels (and other biota) within anthropogenic habitats, given the low number of quantitative studies and the strong biogeographic knowledge bias that persists.
- A tale of shells and claws: The signal crayfish as a threat to the pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera in EuropePublication . Sousa, Ronaldo; Nogueira, Joana Garrido; Ferreira, André; Carvalho, Francisco; Lopes-Lima, Manuel; Varandas, Simone; Teixeira, AmílcarThe freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera is a highly threatened species in Europe. Several mechanisms may be responsible for the decline in distribution and abundance of European pearl mussel populations, but almost no quantitative data exists about the possible negative impacts of invasive alien species (IAS). In this study, we clearly demonstrate that the invasive signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus predates pearl mussels, using a laboratorial experiment followed by in situ validation in four rivers in the North of Portugal (Mente, Rabaçal, Tuela and Baceiro Rivers; Douro Basin). In the laboratory, the crayfish had a clear preference for small-sized pearl mussels but no differences in predation were found in mesocosms with and without sediment. In addition, we clearly demonstrated that the signal crayfish predates pearl mussels in natural conditions and detected a significant density dependent effect (i.e., sites with more crayfish presented higher number of pearl mussel shells with marks of predation). Given the recent introduction of the signal crayfish and the potential negative impacts on pearl mussel populations we also investigated its autoecology (distribution, abundance, size structure and sex-ratio) in the four studied rivers. Significant differences in average abundance and size of the crayfish were detected between sites and the sex-ratio was highly skewed to females. In view of the widespread distribution of signal crayfish (and other invasive crayfish species) in Europe, future management actions devoted to the conservation of pearl mussels should take in consideration the possible negative effects of these predators, especially on juveniles.
- The mitochondrial genomes of Iberian freshwater and diadromous fishesPublication . Veríssimo, Joana; Curto, Manuel; Alves, Maria Judite; Almeida, Pedro Raposo de; Aparicio, Enric; Clavero, Miguel; Chaves, Cátia; Fernandez-Delgado, Carlos; Hernández, Jesús; Jentoft, Sissel; Kalous, Lukáš; Magalhães, Maria Filomena; Martins, Filipa MS; Mateus, Catarina Sofia; Nogueira, Joana Garrido; Oliveira, Inês; Perdices, Anabel; Rocaspana, Rafel; Ribeiro, Filipe; Risueño, Pilar; Rovira, Quim Pou i; Queirós, João; Santos, Carlos David; Teixeira, Amilcar; Veríssimo, Ana; Volta, Pietro; Beja, Pedro; Gante, Hugo F.; Lopes-Lima, ManuelThe Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe, is home to a distinctive freshwater fish fauna, predominantly composed of endemic species. This is a consequence of the prolonged isolation from western Europe caused by the Pyrenees, the diverse geological and climatic gradients, and the isolation of river basins. Freshwater and diadromous fishes have diversified in the Iberian Peninsula and include 72 currently recognized native species, 50 of which are endemic to the region. Habitat loss and degradation, the introduction of invasive species, and climate change have placed Iberian freshwater and diadromous fishes among the most threatened groups of vertebrates, with some species on the brink of extinction. Here, we present 60 new complete mitochondrial genome assemblies out of the 109 freshwater and diadromous fish species found in the Iberian Peninsula, including the mitogenomes of 37 endemics. These resources are crucial for characterising the mitochondrial evolution of species, reconstructing phylogeny and paleogeography, advancing species identification, delineation, and monitoring, and ultimately supporting conservation planning.
- The silent extinction of freshwater mussels in PortugalPublication . Lopes-Lima, Manuel; Reis, Joaquim; Alvarez, Maria G.; Anastácio, Pedro M.; Banha, Filipe; Beja, Pedro; Castro, Paulo S.; Gama, Mafalda; Gil, Maria G.; Gomes-dos-Santos, André; Miranda, Fernando Jorge Veloso; Nogueira, Joana Garrido; Sousa, Ronaldo; Teixeira, Amílcar; Varandas, Simone; Froufe, ElsaFreshwater mussels are one of the most threatened animal groups in the world. In the European Union, threatened and protected mussel species are not adequately monitored, while species considered to be common and widespread receive even less attention. This is particularly worrying in the Mediterranean region, where species endemism is high and freshwater habitats are severely affected by water scarcity. In the absence of hard data on population trends, we report here a long-term comparison of freshwater mussel assemblages at 132 sites covering 15 different hydrological basins in Portugal. This study reveals a widespread decline of 60 % in the number of sites and 67 % in the overall abundance of freshwater mussels across Portugal over the last 20 years, indicating that all species are rapidly declining and threatened with extinction. These results show that current legislation and conservation measures are largely ineffective and highlight the importance of updating the Habitats Directive to enforce standard monitoring protocols for threatened species in the European Union and to extend monitoring to other freshwater species thought to be common and widespread. Efficient water management, restrictions on irrigation expansion in important biodiversity areas, mitigation of hydrological changes and loss of aquatic habitat connectivity caused by physical alterations are urgently needed to reverse these declining population trends. For the severely endangered species Margaritifera margaritifera, Potomida littoralis, and Unio tumidiformis, where populations are now critically low, more urgent action is needed, such as ex-situ conservation, protection of remaining populations and large-scale habitat restoration.